Responsible Gaming

Gambling is a fun and entertaining hobby, but for some, gambling can become problematic and even lead to gambling-related harm. Here at CasinoGuide, we are advocates of Safer Gambling and we believe in providing our players with informative and transparent information, so that you can make informed choices about where to play and how to stay safe. Below we have created a dedicated page to Responsible Gaming, where we will explain why we only recommend reviewed and approved casinos that support safer gaming. We'll also provide links to helpful organisations.

The Importance of Responsible Gambling

Responsible Gambling is a top priority here at CasinoGuide, and we only recommend fully licensed Canadian casinos that take your safety seriously. The best operators will have a dedicated page for responsible gaming with detailed information on how to play safely and how to use their safer gambling tools. Some casinos also provide players with assessment tests which may help you understand if you are an "at-risk" player. Responsible Gaming information helps players stay informed, safe, and may even help to lower or prevent gambling-related harm.

Your Safety is Important

We recommend the best Canadian casinos that commit to providing a safe and responsible gaming environment and comply with industry standards set by regulatory bodies like eCOGRA. A good operator will provide helpful tools like like limits, and self-exclusion tools. The legal age to register and play at online casinos is 19+ in all Canadian provinces except Alberta, Manitoba and Quebec where the legal age is 18+. Underage gambling is strictly prohibited. Please visit our Gambling Laws page to read more about laws and regulation in Canada.

Players should view gambling as a form of entertainment, and not a source of income or a form of escapism. We take safer gambling seriously and are dedicated to providing a responsible gaming service for our players. Below are our guidelines on how to monitor your activity to ensure it doesn't become a problem in your daily life.

Play for fun – not for profit

Take regular breaks

Set playing limits

Set a spending budget

Important Tools to Help Prevent Gambling-Related Harm

Casinos must provide their customers with effective tools to help them avoid gambling-related harm, and you’ll find some of these at our recommended casinos.

Deposit Limits: Deposit Limit options allow you to set limits on how much to deposit so that you don’t spend more than you can afford. These limits may allow you to set daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits.

Time Limit: A time limit allows you to set a limit on the amount of time you spend at online casinos. You will have to wait until the next day to continue once they reach the limit.

Self-Exclusion: This tool allows you to voluntarily exclude yourself from a casino for a set amount of time if you feel you need to. The casino will then lock your account indefinitely and reopens upon request after a certain time-frame.

Cool-off Period: This is a temporary approach where you can request a casino lock your accounts for 24 hours to 30 days, depending on the casino. You would then contact the casino to unlock the account.

Loss Limit: This tool allows you to set a reasonable amount of money that you are willing to play with, and potentially lose. In the event that the loss amount is reached, the casino will prevent you from spending any more money until the set period elapses.

Preventing Underage Gambling

Our recommended casinos firmly uphold the age restriction policy to players who wish to register and play. You’ll always find a checkbox upon sign-up that requires you to tick to accept that you are of legal age to gamble. You will also find fields that will require your information, called KYC (Know Your Customer) checks, including your date of birth, to verify your age.

Gambling is completely unsuitable and illegal for minors. Account users should keep their account details confidential if their children have access to their computers.

Smart Tips on Responsible Gaming

Set a Budget – Budgeting is the best way to avoid spending more than you can afford and prevent financial difficulties. Set an amount and stick to it. Remember the old saying, “only gamble what you can afford to lose”.

Don’t Chase Losses – This is a rule of thumb in gambling. Trying to make up for lost money is a very bad idea and “chasing losses” can soon spiral out of control.

Have Fun – Gambling is a form of entertainment. If you’re not having fun and you’re feeling angry or frustrated then things get out of control. If you’re no longer having fun, this is a sign that it’s time to take a break.

Don’t Borrow Money to Fund Gambling – Borrowing money to fund gambling is a big ‘no’. Any borrowed money, whether from family, friends, or a credit card, is the highway to trouble and may be a sign that you need to seek help.

Avoid Superstition – Online casinos use RNG, which keeps betting fair and random. Nonetheless, some players are superstitious and tend to bet on specific “lucky” numbers or days, which, on the contrary, are far from certain.

Play Responsibly to Help Stay in Control

Responsible gambling ensures that you have fun while gambling with real money, so we recommend casinos that dedicate essential tools to help control gambling and keep you safe. Making use of tools like Self-Exclusion and Deposit Limits, as well as sticking to a set budget not chasing your losses are all ways to help you stay safe while having fun.

Helpful Responsible Gambling Resources

Here are links to some of the main organisations in Canada, or available to Canadians, that you can access if you, or someone you know, may be suffering with gambling-related harm:

Gamblers Anonymous Canada – https://www.gatoronto.ca/ga-home

National Council on Problem Gambling – https://canadasafetycouncil.org/gambling-addiction/

CAMH – https://www.camh.ca/en/health-info/mental-illness-and-addiction-index/problem-gambling/

GamTalk – https://www.gamtalk.org/

BeGamble Aware – https://www.begambleaware.org

BetBlocker – https://betblocker.org/